For Zaphod

You mean like cost effectiveness,
efficiency, fair market bidding,
world class security,
and a chance to invest in a new IPO
of the future? Yes, you do have a point.
A very important one. Bad Management.
I would not want Marissa Mayer running
this show.

Not at all. I am directly vested in the system to give full disclosure. But as it stands you have a government entity that for all its failings,
attempting to modernize yet a multi-session Congress not willing to fund. Seems self serving no? Don't fund it, claim its not moving along fast
enough, and declare privatizing is the cure.

Just for record, I'm on the ground maintaining all the equipment. It's my duty to ensure it is certified safe for use in the NAS.

What do you think being utilized in the NAS is maintained by contractors? ILS, VOR, AG radio, radar (secondary and primary) surface radar, weather
radar, flight data, and countless other systems,....not contractor maintained.

A few are contractor maintained, but FAA certifies those systems into the NAS

Neither Congress or the FAA has said "it's not moving fast enough, we need to privatize". It's an option being looked at, and IMO, it's a good one.
It beats the hell out of having a 20 year old system, that's going to keep getting older, and harder to maintain. The FAA has more than just the
upgrades that they have to fund, and removing the ATC system, except for oversight and some other features, will relieve them of a lot of budgetary
pressure.

And the FAA will almost certainly continue to certify systems into the NAS, even when privatized. They're not going to lose their oversight of the
system, since that is their primary reason for existing.

Raytheon is doing the upgrades at just about all the airports for the FAA. They've also done quite a bit of other work for them. Hughes is another
one that does a lot of work for the FAA, including ILS and VOR.

Check out how the "States" themselves
have misappropriated Federal Funds
designated for the projects you mentioned.

You would be Horrified.

I been aware of that for most of my life. Federal subsidies used as leverage to meddle in state autonomy, secure land and resources. Its a pork barrel
local gubments have used to wax rich off, favoring politicians that cozy up to corporations, neglecting individual rights of the little guy in the
process.

We see this with all the no trespassing signs on Federal Land, the exploitation of that land by private corporations for mineral rights, water rights,
oil rights, etc.

Here in Ca its all three, pillaging the underground aquifer to feed Big Agro, Frack Co, and Nestle to name a few.

But then they let a dam almost destroy millions of lives...

the oceans and beaches are polluted by all the off shore drilling, the toxic radioactive waste dumped off the coast during WWII is still there,
rotting. The roads, gas supply and water pipes are failing (big gas explosion here few years back). The fish in the Delta are to toxic to eat, thanks
to fertilizer runoff...

Would love to see a better system, one that integrates the aircraft data with navigation data. Could save millions on fuel and safety measures. If
you integrate winds and weather, the system could possibly reduce weather related delays and further maximize fuel burn.

Weather and ATC are not the root causes of delays. The biggest reason for delays is the desire of the airlines to have all their flights
leave at the same time. There is a limit to the number of aircraft that a runway can accommodate, and while the sky is big, it isn't limitless. The
altitude safety buffer has been cut in half from 2000 feet to 1000 under RVSM. And now Trump wants to turn over all ATC to an entity controlled by
these same airlines. Part of the ATC/pilot briefing system was privatized when Flight Service Stations were turned over to Lockheed Martin and it has
been a nightmare. The briefers are lazy; NOTAMS get lost; and there seems to be no uniformity in briefings. I get better service from Meteo Avions in
Luanda than Lockheed in Miami.

Well, I guess my experiences are different than yours. In both military and civilian flying, I have been held at the hold short because ATC wouldn't
release us because our destination was clobbered with weather. Since the IFR separation rules require more airspace and wider spacing, I have been
delayed due to weather.

Should an integrated Air-to-ground linked ATC system have the ability to either
A. keep more planes out of the weather and/or
B. allow planes in sketchier weather keep reduced separation

Then you could jam more planes in the sky when the weather gets skosh.

And also, I don't want a 2am takeoff either. I want 6pm takeoffs, so I don't have to skip work, but can get where I"m going. The airlines only
desire what their customers desire.

I hear you.
International Corporations
such as Nestle are pretty sly
at times, but even worse are
the folks that sold you out to them.
They had a choice,they took the money,
and threw you under the bus.
A long time ago, and still to this day.

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